PopCap rarely does anything without giving it a lot of thought. Nowhere is this more apparent than in last year's Facebook hit Bejeweled Blitz. PopCap's first foray into social gaming was a resounding success, boasting more than 25 million players since its launch. Now PopCap is doing what comes naturally – trying to put that success in as many places as they can. First they added Blitz to the sublime Bejeweled 2 on the iPhone. Now they've come along and released a full download version of Blitz for the PC and Mac.
GamaSutra - DeNA's Ben Cousins has been fascinated by digital games and their business model ever since he left Electronic Arts for Ngmoco -- and to start the Stockholm studio that would become Scattered Entertainment, staffed up with AAA talent from studios like Crytek and DICE. After four years heading up EA's free-to-play initiatives, Cousins was eager to pursue the model at a company that focused on digital 100 percent, not just as a strategy component.
AR: Bejeweled is an icon in gaming. It’s the definition of cross-platform fun, and since I played it on my Palm ages ago, it dates me. It’s the perfect time killer, and has the benefit of appealing to folks from all generations.
With so many people getting involved in games like Farmville 2 and SimCity Social and higher quality titles like PixelJunk Monsters, Outernauts and You Don't Know Jack showing up, the stigma that used to surround Facebook gamers is starting to face.